Grizzlies edge Celtics, inch toward playoffs

BOSTON – Memphis, scrambling for an NBA postseason berth, edged the playoff-bound Boston Celtics 90-87 on Wednesday.

Spain’s Marc Gasol scored 11 points with 11 rebounds and Zach Randolph had 13 points and eight boards to deny the Celtics in their bid to regain a share of the Eastern Conference lead alongside Chicago.

With little more than a minute to play, Gasol stole the ball from Boston’s Ray Allen and made a layup to give the Grizzlies an 88-85 lead.

Gasol missed two free throws with 4.6 seconds remaining, but Boston’s Paul Pierce then missed an awkward three-point attempt that would have forced overtime.

With the victory, the Grizzlies strengthened their hold on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Grizzlies improved to 40-32 and are just one-half game behind seventh-place New Orleans.

The victory was especially welcome for Memphis, who said on Tuesday that their number two scorer, Rudy Gay, would miss the rest of the season to have surgery on his partially dislocated left shoulder.

The Grizzlies’ Leon Powe and Tony Allen, members of the Celtics’ 2008 championship team, played key roles against their former club.

Powe came off the bench to score 13 points in 17 minutes – his best game since signing with the Grizzlies.

Allen, who spent the first six years of his career in Boston before signing with Memphis as a free agent, scored nine points with five assists.

“When you can come on the road and beat a great team like that, and do it on the defensive end, it’s huge for a young, up-and-coming team,” Powe said.

The Celtics fell to 50-20 as they missed a chance to tie the Bulls for best record in the East.

Pierce scored 22 for the Celtics, who lost for the fifth time in nine games. Rajon Rondo had six points, seven steals, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Ray Allen wore a bandage above his right eye after needing seven stitches in a wound caused when he was elbowed by Jared Jeffries in Monday’s game against New York.